


Practicing Goodbyes

by Sing



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Confessions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Partings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 09:59:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3806251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sing/pseuds/Sing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They aren't quite sure what happens 'After' they try their best to prepare for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Practicing Goodbyes

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Sleepy Hollow
> 
> Because all of a sudden I'm a little hung up on how the series might end if they make it to 7 seasons.

"Do you think we'll survive it?" Abbie asks suddenly, looking up from the book she's thumbing through across at Crane on the other side of the desk. Crane pauses, tosses his hair back and holds a finger to his place in his own text.

"I should hope so," he says cheerfully. Abbie smiles back.

"Ever the optimist,"

"Makes demon fighting mildly less daunting." 

"True, but, I guess, do you think we'll both survive," she stresses and looks at Crane meaningfully.

"Ah," Crane reaches for a scrap of paper and slides it in the book to mark his place. "You wonder if my presence in your time is predetermined. End of Days might be the end of mine, as it were,"

Abbie nods solemnly, biting her lip. She wills herself not to tear up because well, the battle isn't over yet, they're got five more years, but just thinking about it. Just anticipating that loss, makes her heart constrict. "I don't want you to go," she says, smiling weakly. Crane reaches across the table for her hand, gripping it solidly.

"If it is in my power, I won't"

"And if it's not?"

Crane sighs, stroking his thumb along the back of her hand. "Then I die, Abbie. As I should, as we all will. Permanently,"

Abbie nods again, of course. That's life, that's logic. But you would think with their strange circumstances they might manage to, she doesn't know, bend the rules, just a bit. 

"If I didn't think you'd be cross with me, I might try casting another spell on you,"

Crane smiles again. "I've had enough interference in my natural course, don't you agree?" 

Yes, she knows this too, but that's the definition of selfishness when you want something so badly you don't care if it does someone else harm. Even if that someone is the one thing you want. Your friend. Your partner. Your whatever other name you can ascribe to fate bound, destiny entwined, comrade in arms. 

"But I have an idea," he says, standing slowly and walking around the desk he grasps Abbie's free hand and pulls her to her feet. "We'll practice,"

"Practice?" Abbie asks incredulous.

"Our goodbyes. We will practice saying everything we feel we might need to say to each other when our parting comes, so that when the day arrives, we will have no regrets, no thought unspoken, no word or deed unacted upon."

"Vows," Abbie concludes. "You want us to write end of the world Vows,"

"I think vow is a bit dire of a term,"

"This is dire, Crane" 

"Well, let's start our 'vows' like this then, shall we? 'I will not waste time affirming things you already know....." and so they begin, listing their sentiments, hands held, while they looked into one another's eyes. Some sentiments brought tears, others laughter, others faces of contemplation. 

"I have nightmares of you being gone"

"I have nightmares of losing you"

"Your eyes sparkle in the new dawn"

"Your smirk, is everything"

"I will miss your strong will, your stronger heart. And the hearty wall one must climb to reach it. All of these obstacles of you, I will miss"

"I will miss your strong will, your stronger heart. And the heavy barricade one must barge through to reach it. All of these obstacles of you, I will miss"

"I will always be in your heart, should you choose to keep me,"

"I will take you wherever I go, wherever I end up"

"I will never forget you,"

"I will always cherish our time together"

"Our bond is unlike anything I have ever known with another person. You are special in that."

"Our bond is unlike anything I have ever known with another person. You, are special, in that,"

**********************************

Seven years have gone by, and it is the moment they prepared for. It is time they recite their End of Day Vows, all of the things they have rehearsed. 

Time stands still as they exchange back and forth. But one small confession breaks through that neither one practiced. Things they have never said. This, is a first at the last moment. They have uttered the last of their verses, when   
Abbie touches Crane's face. "I love you," she whispers, tears streaming down her face.

Ichabod presses his forehead to hers. "I thought you agreed not to tell me things I already know?" he smiles before capturing her lips with his. "Should you choose to keep me, Abbie, I am there," he whispers before golden light takes him away.

********************************

Abbie went quietly in the night at 101 years old. 

Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren watch her pass peacefully in her sleep.

They think it is strange, for a woman who lives life with such vigour and no nonsense determination that she should go out of the world without so much as a whimper. But when the light calls to her, she marches calmly towards it. 

At the end of the illuminated hall she feels before she sees the warm pillar of light. The oldness of it. It's aged wisdom. 

As she walks her years melt away, shedding like old skin, and underneath shines her soul, youthful and bright, the form she always was inside. Bright, spirited, Abbie Mills who fought and won the Apocalypse war. Her eyes sharpen and there is a soft gentle wind, and an even softer glow around his face when she sees him.

The pillar of light takes form into the face she has kept in her heart for nearly 70 years after he left. Ichabod smiles warmly at her as she glides by him, and he falls into step beside her as they stroll the pristine paths of Heaven. "Took you long enough," he muses.

"I was just trying to see if I could outlive you," Abbie smirks.

"A valiant effort," and there is nothing but light and love and comfort and happiness in this moment. The soft hum of the Angelic chorus is all around. Ichabod looks at Abbie out the corner of his eyes, his lips twitch, "I love you Abbie, and I have missed you, very much"

Abbie looks up at him. Her eyes twinkle like the new dawn. Her smile as bright and white as a downy angels wing.

"I thought you agreed not to tell me things I already know?"


End file.
